Munters Energy Efficient Air Treatment for the Cold Chain

Munters’ air treatment technology allows for the precise control of temperature and humidity in the food industry cold chain.

It modifies conditions to convey, cool, freeze, dry and cure foods, right through to packing and storage.  This guarantees consistent quality, energy cost savings and increased throughput.

Munters designs and manufactures products for controlling moisture, humidity and condensation, while optimising conveying, mixing, blending, drying, cooling, packing and general storage applications.

Dehumidified air combats mould growth and increases refrigeration efficiency. Through frost-free cooling, dehumidification and humidity control, Munters prevents products gaining moisture, sticking and creating costly quality, hygiene and wastage issues.

Air treatment systems for the food industry cold chain

Munters manufactures air treatment systems that eliminate moisture absorption, condensation, product sticking, caking, mould, frost build up and blocked machinery.

From cutting, conveying, freezing, cooling and cold storage through to product conditioning, transportation and storage, Munters provides significant cost savings and quality improvements by mastering the temperature and humidity of the air during transportation and storage.

Munters air treatment systems also control air quality surrounding the production process. Its patented innovative air treatment systems give faster productivity within food processing, reduce accidents and waste in storage and reduce energy consumption.

Munters ICE-DRY®, a simple solution for ice and condensation prevention

Munters Ice-Dry® desiccant dehumidifier prevents condensation and ice build-up, providing higher production rates and reduced downtime caused by icing.

Freezing equipment is designed for a specific level of production and frost on evaporators impedes and interrupts extended operation. It becomes difficult to maintain the temperature inside the freezer, making it necessary to either defrost or lower the rate of throughput to achieve correct freezing temperatures.

Ice build-up on conveyor belts and cooling coils comes from surrounding air leaking into the freezer, as well as moisture evaporating from the product. Dehumidification practically eliminates frost build-up, resulting in reduced defrosting cycles and spoilage, uninterrupted production and higher profits.

With Munters Ice-Dry® humidity control, mould growth is reduced and sanitation improved.

Keeping cold-store floors and doors dry and ice-free

It is impossible to prevent air from entering a cold store, but Munters Ice-Dry® dehumidification removes the moisture in the air that forms ice. Condensation also causes fog around doorways, blinding strip curtains and obstructing views in traffic ways.

Apart from safety issues, ice also prevents the free operation of cold store and airlock doors, preventing them from sealing properly, or even lifting them out of their runners. Smooth operation requires people to regularly chip away the ice by hand, a time-consuming job.

The ice also affects the efficiency of the refrigeration system, increasing defrost cycles and degrading temperature control. All air holds water; warm air holds more water than cold air. This is why water condenses out on cold surfaces and forms ice and frost. Munters tackle the cause of the problem by removing the moisture from the air, so it can’t condense out and form ice on cooling coils, floors, walls or airlocks.

Increased freezer production

Munters Ice-Dry® dehumidification reduces maintenance on doors and refrigeration machinery, reduces downtime, speeds-up loading and unloading and increases efficiency and throughput.

By removing the moisture that normally condenses on evaporating coils, the coils run more efficiently and much longer between defrosts. One cold-store using Ice-Dry® saved €16,000 in 8 months through increased energy efficiency.

As humid air infiltrates into air-locks and cold-stores through dock doors, Munters Ice-Dry® dehumidification captures it and removes the moisture before it condenses onto cold surfaces.

Dehumidification for increased refrigeration efficiency

As the humid air passes through the Munters Ice-Dry® humidity control system, the moisture is removed and the dry air is returned into the area, flowing across the cold store doors and floors at the rear of loading docks, providing the driest air to the coldest surfaces.

This dry air keeps surfaces free of ice build-up and rapidly removes condensation. This gives quality, productivity and energy savings by simply mastering the relative humidity of the air.

With more than 440 Munters Ice-Dry® humidity control systems installed and over 28 offices globally, we have excellent know-how and the capability to supply complete dehumidification climate solutions.